Sonoma Community Center — Laugh-a-Thon 2020 Remote Broadcast
IP Broadcast, Multi-Camera Integration, Remote Production
When the pandemic shut down all in-person gatherings in 2020, Sonoma Community Center faced an existential threat. Their annual Laugh-a-Thon—SCC’s primary fundraising event—was impossible to hold traditionally, yet losing it would have crippled their ability to serve the community. They needed a remote broadcast solution that could deliver the energy of a multi-hour telethon with zero physical interaction.
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MAXMedia Partners partnered with Globestream Media to engineer a fully remote, IP-based production that connected a four-camera stage in California to our broadcast control room in Texas. The result was a seamless, engaging, pandemic-proof telethon that preserved SCC’s most critical revenue stream.
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At-a-Glance
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Client: Sonoma Community Center
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Event: Laugh-a-Thon 2020
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Project Type: Remote Broadcast, IP Production, Multi-Camera Integration
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Location: Sonoma, CA & Dallas, TX (remotely integrated)
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Runtime: Three-hour telethon event
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Key Metrics
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4-camera California stage feed
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25+ pre-recorded acts curated into a unified show
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100% remote communication and show-calling
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Nearly $500,000 raised
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Zero in-person performer interaction
Background & Objectives
SCC’s Laugh-a-Thon is a cornerstone fundraiser that provides the majority of the nonprofit’s annual operating revenue. With COVID-19 restrictions prohibiting in-person gatherings, the 2020 event was on the verge of cancellation—placing SCC’s financial stability and community programs at risk.
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They needed a solution that would:
• Deliver a safe, entirely remote production workflow
• Integrate multiple performers without on-site contact
• Maintain the energy and continuity of a traditional telethon
• Ensure broadcast reliability across state lines
• Provide a cohesive multi-hour show experience for donors
Our Role
MAXMedia Partners designed and executed a full IP-based broadcast in collaboration with Globestream Media. We connected on-site cameras in California to our Texas control studio via a resilient stream relay—allowing real-time switching, graphics, playback, and broadcast engineering with no physical crew overlap.
Core Responsibilities
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Broadcast planning and technical architecture
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Four-camera deployment and routing from California to Texas
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Real-time remote show-calling, TD, and engineering
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Unity intercom integration for cross-state communication
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Organization and integration of all pre-recorded content
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Complete telethon playback control, graphics, and timing
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Redundancy design to protect against stream interruption
Production Approach
Remote Multi-Camera Integration
We deployed a four-camera capture system in California and transported the feeds to Texas using a stabilized IP contribution pipeline. This allowed our directing and engineering teams to switch the show live from our control room, while the stage manager and on-site crew operated safely in California.
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Real-Time Communication
Unity intercom served as the backbone of communication between:
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Texas director and technical director
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California stage manager and camera operators
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Production supervisor and host team
This created the feel of a unified control room, despite being separated by 1,700+ miles.​​
Creative & Technical Highlights
Curated Show Flow
More than 25 performers submitted independently recorded segments over several weeks. MMP organized these into a cohesive, three-hour show that replicated the pacing and personality of a live telethon—complete with host intros, transitions, donation pushes, and volunteer phone bank segments.
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Broadcast Reliability
We built a redundancy plan including:
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Parallel stream paths
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Local-to-remote signal backups
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On-premise failover playback capabilities
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Redundant timing and graphics systems
Outcome & Impact
The Laugh-a-Thon delivered exactly what SCC needed: a safe, professional, multi-hour broadcast that protected both their revenue and their reputation during an uncertain year.
Results:
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Nearly $500,000 raised in one night
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Zero performer exposure to COVID risk
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Stable, uninterrupted remote broadcast
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A fully simulated live telethon experience from pre-recorded acts
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Renewed community engagement at a time of widespread isolation
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A validated remote-production model for future nonprofit. events
The event proved that high-stakes fundraising can still thrive in a fully remote environment—with the right creative and technical strategy.